08 Dec Empire of Light Review

EMPIRE OF LIGHT

dir. Sam Mendes, starring Olivia Colman, Michaeal Ward, Colin Firth, and Toby Jones

Empire of Light, the fifth pairing between director Sam Mendes and legendary director of photography Roger Deakins, takes place in the 1980s focused on Hilary Small (Colman), lonely and drifting in life. Each day is a haze of grey as Hilary works her counter at the local movie theater Empire Cinema until she meets new employee Stephen (Ward). Gently coaxing her out of her shell, Hilary and Stephen form a strong bond that is consistently tested by both internal and external forces throughout the film.

As I opened my Green Knight review, I stated that expectations can be a tricky thing. They generally come in two forms: self-induced hype that usually leads to nothing but disappointment (i.e.: various shades of outrage over the lack of cameos in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness) and expectations brought upon by clever marketing of the film. The latter is the case with Empire of Light, Sam Mendes’ latest film that reads as a veteran filmmaker being joined by one of the most respected cinematographers currently working to produce a wistful, aching love letter to cinema. While there are definitely shades of that at times, Mendes mostly uses his fictional Empire Cinema as a backdrop, a venue for that actual events of the film to transpire. The relationship established between Hilary and Stephen is equally pure and tainted; the intimate contact between an older Caucasian woman and a younger Jamaican man in 1980s England has a feel of taboo when set against the backdrop of a rising tide of British nationalism. With that danger constantly lurking at the fringes of the story, along with other unexpected events, the film is less Cinema Paradiso and more Revolutionary Road.

Starring Olivia Colman, Empire of Light reminds us yet again why she’s one of the best actresses presently working in Hollywood. At the outset, Colman’s portrayal of a universally lonely character idling through life is handled perfectly with her giving an incredibly internal and withdrawn performance, a church mouse amongst brash cats. In the film’s turn into its unsettling second act Colman pulls a 180-degree turn, becoming almost feral, delivering her lines with a venomous ferocity. Hilary’s sweetness in the film’s final minutes shows that Colman runs an entire gamut of emotions throughout the movie’s runtime, embodying a character that is deeply flawed and vulnerable.

The moment Michael Ward is on screen as Stephen the actor beings to exude and radiate charm. A brilliant, dazzling smile, a confident exterior and a true warmth shine from Ward as he seduces Hilary back to the land of the living throughout the first act. Stephen is not without his own vulnerable points as well, and Ward is excellent that showing Stephen work through these with the grace of a wily veteran. Ward and Colman are electric together, the pair finding an almost immediate chemistry together on screen that sets up for unfortunate events later down the road. Due in large part to Sam Mendes’ writing and direction, Olivia Colman and Micheal Ward are one of the year’s best on screen couples.

Written, directed, and produced by Sam Mendes, the veteran filmmaker returns with what could have been possibly one of his most saccharine stories to date. When he decides to focus the story on his love and passion for filmmaking is when the movie soars; thanks in large part to Roger Deakins’ cinematography, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross’ amazing score, and Toby Jones selling his role as the theater projectionist, Empire of Light’s highest highs show what the movie could have been had Mendes kept his focus on telling a story about an amazing theater and its occupant’s love of the art form. Instead, Mendes cuts through these moments of sweetness with scenes of startling viciousness and brutality, making for jarring tonal shifts that are apt to catching viewers completely off guard. What starts as a heartfelt relationship and ode to cinema turns to passing glances at mental health and history of racism in England, making it feel like the story got away from Mendes and he was never fully able to regain control of it. If he had a statement to make with this project, its messages by film’s end remain muddied.

Overall, Empire of Light is a finely crafted film that, while touching on a number of subjects, fails to fully explore any of them. Even with outstanding performances from Olivia Colman and Micheal Ward, the story’s refusal to commit to any of its ideas overshadows the entire project. Somewhat lesser than the sum of its parts, the final product does not completely live up to its potential. There’s still plenty to love in this story: top notch camera work by Roger Deakins and impressive technical work from Sam Mendes and his crew make this strong awards season contender. Empire of Light hits theaters December 9th.

Review by Darryl Mansel